A true American hero

Today on cnn.com I watched a news story. For once, an honest to God news story, and not the latest update on Paris and Britney or some other fluff piece that CNN seems so content to be putting out these days. The story told about how a man in Egypt, a kid really, decided how he wasn't really comfortable with the status quo and thought he would speak up about it. He is now sitting in a jail cell for the next four years.

Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman grew up in Alexandria and attended the Islamic school system there his whole life. On his blog he describes himself as a "down to earth Law student" looking forward to opening his own human rights law firm dedicated to helping all people against discrimination and violence, especially women. Wow, nice guy with some pretty humanitarian goals right? Not according to the Egyptian government. He criticized radical Islam and his religious teachers on his blog and was punished by being expelled from school and arrested and jailed by Egyptian authorities. His crimes? Inciting hatred towards Islam (3 years in jail) and insulting the Egyptian president (1 year in jail). Not to mention that his own parents disowned him and his father asked that he be executed if he did not repent or recant his writings.

I grew up loving America and her values and the men and women who have spent their lives pursuing and defending her freedoms. However, I am very guilty of taking these freedoms for granted, especially the freedom of speech. I think we all do. Nothing against our boys in Iraq and Afganistan but I think this kid from Egypt deserves our support just as equally. As far as I am concerned, the freedom and ability to speak and dissent without fear of reproach is the most sacred right we own. For any human being anywhere to be punished for expressing themselves is a great crime against humanity.

But why is he an American hero? I think this because he is brave enough to support his views for change and tolerance upon pain of death. I feel that he can remind us of who we are, what we are made of. When is the last time Americans were made to feel revolutionary, to feel that they were responsible for real change in the world? If there's a way to win the war in the Middle East it has to be by supporting these people who stand up for change and democracy in their regimes and social orders. Military victory will not completely solve the problem. As Americans, we need to be champions of justice and human rights for every corner of the globe, not just from Seattle to San Diego to Bangor to Key West. We need to be proud of our role as moral compass to the world and work to promote human values everywhere, especially in nations who would call us their allies. I implore you Dear Readers: do everything you can to support Kareem and his cause. Visit the site, educate yourselves, write your local representatives and the Egyptian officials. Do what you can and help work toward world democracy and tolerance. This isn't something that only affects the people of Egypt and the Middle East. This is an American issue and Kareem is an American hero.